House Cleaning in Burnaby: Hiring and Move-Out Planning

Choose the tasks before requesting prices

Describe the result you need instead of relying on labels such as standard, deep or move-out cleaning. List the rooms, bathrooms and surfaces you want cleaned. Ask the cleaner to confirm whether the quoted work includes floors, kitchen grease, shower buildup, baseboards and dusting accessible surfaces.

For an occupied home, identify clutter you will clear and items the cleaner should leave untouched. For an empty home, state whether you need cupboard interiors, the oven, the refrigerator and marks on washable walls cleaned. Send photos of areas that need extra attention and name delicate finishes or product restrictions.

Request a written total for that scope. For an hourly quote, ask whether the rate applies to each cleaner, how many people will attend and what spending limit they will respect. Confirm supplies, parking charges, applicable taxes, cancellation terms and the process for approving extra work. Agree on a priority order if you have a firm budget.

Check the business and the hiring arrangement

Burnaby requires a valid business licence for businesses operating in the city, including businesses providing personal or other services. The city describes a non-resident licence category for mobile companies with no fixed location in Burnaby. Ask for the company's legal name and the licence it uses for your job. Contact City Licensing if the answer needs clarification. [1]

WorkSafeBC distinguishes customers of independent businesses from people who hire their own workers. When you hire an independent business, WorkSafeBC recommends checking its registration and payment status through a clearance letter. A proprietor who does the work without hiring workers can choose optional coverage, so discuss that arrangement before work starts. [4]

If you employ your own housekeeper for ongoing services, WorkSafeBC says coverage becomes required at eight or more hours per week. Below eight hours, its guidance allows voluntary coverage. Check your arrangement with WorkSafeBC rather than assuming that paying an individual makes you a customer of an independent business. [4]

Ask for evidence of liability insurance and an explanation of how the cleaner handles accidental damage, lost keys and complaints. Keep this discussion separate from the WorkSafeBC check. Agree on who may enter your home and how you will receive notice of a replacement cleaner.

Plan rental move-out cleaning around the inspection

B.C.'s residential tenancy guidance says tenants must steam clean or shampoo carpets at the end of a tenancy lasting one year or longer. It also lists patching nail holes and cleaning wall marks among end-of-tenancy responsibilities. If this applies to your rental, request carpet treatment by name and decide who will handle the wall work. [2]

Send the cleaner your agreed move-out task list and arrange access after you remove your belongings. Allow time to check the work before handing back the keys. Ask who will return to address a missed task and whether the quoted price includes that return visit. Retain the invoice and take photos of the rooms after cleaning.

Keep cleaning and maintenance issues separate in your instructions. B.C. assigns tenants basic upkeep and requires them to report maintenance needs; landlords handle most repairs and normal wear and tear. Tenants should report water damage to their landlord at once. If you find a leak while preparing for cleaning, report it rather than asking the cleaner to resolve the underlying repair. [2]

Arrange access and clear bulky items first

For a condo or apartment, ask your building manager about visitor access, parking and any elevator arrangements your booking needs. Give the cleaner the entry instructions, your contact number and the location of the waste facilities. Decide how you will manage pets and whether you will be present for the final walkthrough.

Burnaby offers large-item pickup to households receiving City curbside collection. Eligible houses and duplexes can schedule up to three items per pickup; apartments, condos and townhomes can schedule up to six items per complex. Check eligibility and accepted items before planning furniture removal around this service. [3]

Request pickup through the City's online form or by phone, then follow the date, time and location the City provides. Coordinate with your building manager for a shared pickup. Confirm furniture removal separately with your cleaner if you need help moving items out of the home. [3]

Burnaby large-item pickup limits before a move-out clean

Choose the booking scope

Your hiring checklist

1. Send each cleaner the same room list, photos and requested tasks.
2. Identify appliance interiors, cupboard interiors and carpet treatment as explicit requests.
3. Ask for the business name, licence information and insurance arrangements.
4. Confirm the total price or hourly spending limit and approval process for extra work.
5. Arrange entry, parking, keys, pets and building access.
6. Remove belongings and confirm furniture disposal before the visit.
7. Agree on a walkthrough and a process for addressing missed tasks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I compare cleaning quotes?

Give each cleaner the same task list and ask for written inclusions, exclusions and the total price. For hourly work, confirm the number of cleaners, whether each has a separate hourly charge and the spending limit. Ask how they will obtain your approval before adding work.

Does a cleaner from outside Burnaby need local licence arrangements?

Burnaby requires businesses operating in the city to hold a valid business licence and identifies a non-resident category for mobile companies without a fixed local location. Ask the cleaner which licence covers your booking and contact City Licensing if you need clarification. [1]

Should I include carpet cleaning in a rental move-out booking?

B.C.'s guidance says tenants must steam clean or shampoo carpets at the end of a tenancy lasting one year or longer. Name that treatment in your request and ask whether the cleaner will provide it or whether you need a separate booking. [2]

Can I use City pickup to remove furniture before cleaning?

If your household receives Burnaby curbside collection, check the large-item program's accepted items and request a pickup. Houses and duplexes have a three-item limit per pickup; apartments, condos and townhomes have a six-item limit per complex. Follow the City's assigned pickup instructions. [3]